PARTYNEXTDOORTWO- PARTYNEXTDOOR!

PartyNextDoor released his second album

titled PARTYNEXTDOORTWO on July 29,
2014. The 21 year old electronic dance
infused with R&B artist from Canada is one
of the most underrated talents in the music
industry today. He writes, produces,
engineers and performs all of his work. The
album PARTNEXTDOORTWO s heavy
production style gives it a unique twist,
especially in the use of samples. The album
includes samples from R&B greats such as
Dru Hills Share My World, Ginuwines
Only When Ur Lonely, and the most recent
hit single from Disclosure titled Latch. The
album begins with East Liberty where
Party gets sentimental and croons listeners
with the line, The summers over, and were
watching the sun finally set. He then takes
us on journey through his many different
escapades of becoming rich and famous.
The most notable of these is his the track
titled Recognize featuring one of the
hottest rappers in the music industry, Drake.
The album continues to flow with his
decaying production style all the way to his
last track Muse, which is one of the most
unique tracks. All in all PartyNextDoor is on
the rise and with cosigns from big name
artists like Drake and NBA stars like Kevin
Durant itll be a matter of time before his music makes its way towards a playlist near you.

House of Balloons- The Weeknd

The Weeknd is likely the most widely known
artist on this list. He has single handily
brought to life the genre of music known as
hallucinatory R&B with his dark, mysterious
production mixed with his Michael Jacksonesque falsetto voice. House of Balloons was
The Weeknds debut mixtape which was
released in 2011. The Weeknd begins the
tape with the heavily-produced track High
For This which sets the gloomy drug-filled,
beautifully depressing tone for the rest of the
album. The Weeknd serenades listeners
with line, You dont know whats in store/
But you know what youre here for. Which
is quite fitting, considering you really dont
know whats in store while listening to this
album because every song provides a
unique production and sound. The Weeknd
takes listeners on a journey through the
dark, hypnotic, and depressing life of a drug/
sex addict, but somehow paints it so
beautifully that its extremely difficult not to
listen to. The most notable tracks on House
of Balloons include: What You Need, The
Party & The After Party, and Wicked
Games. Since the release of House of
Balloons, The Weeknd has released three
more projects that have garnered critical
acclaim from multiple music sites and magazines. Complex magazine labeled House of Balloons the best unknown
album of 2011, and once you listen, its hard to disagree.

Isolation- I/O
Contrary to the previous artist, The previous artist, I/O is most likely the least known artist on this list. His album Isolation
is the definition of a hidden gem. With
only 633 downloads on the most prolific
mixtape downloading website, DatPiff,
Isolation is the best album youve never
heard of. I/O wrote the entire project
and produced 10 of the 12 tracks.
Isolation falls under the musical genre
New Age. The ominous synthesizers,
heavy 808s, and smooth voice of I/O
create a musical experience like no
other. I/Os futuristic sound and style
almost puts listeners into a trance.
Isolation provides a unique
perspectives on a wide array of
concepts, everything from the dark side
of the Internet to the pain of
heartbreak. I/O sets the tone for the
rest of the album with the dark
electronic infused with light guitar string
filled track titled Sympathy. The album
continues the electronic theme
including the bubbly 80s themed
heartbreak track Well Always B
where I/O sings, We used to be
lovers, but what now?/ Only now did I
discover, what Im losing out. Isolation
will leave you wanting more, just give it a few listens and youll realize this hidden gem that has been slept on for far too
long.! !

Energy- Iman Omari

Entering the fourth spot is Energy,
produced and performed by L.A.
native Iman Omari. Energy is Iman
Omaris debut album and it contains
a blend of soulful abstractness and
electronic-pop. The album begins
with arguably the most notable track,
Energy, which contains a sample
from Donny Hathaways staple R&B
track Someday Well All be Free.
Omaris spin on Hathaways sample
is refreshing and gives off good
vibes and energy, a line that Omari
croons on the track. Unlike the
previous albums on this list, the
theme of this album is extremely
positive and bright. Omari paints a
vivd picture of love and living a
beautiful life. This becomes evident
in the electro-R&B track Worth It
where Omari sings, Babe I love you
so, and I wont ever let go. Overall
Energy provides listeners with a
sense of lust for life, and an
appreciation for love. If youre
having a rough day and need a pickme-up, download Omaris Energy for
a dose of good vibes and energy to
get you through the day.

A Place Like This- Majid Jordan

Last but not least is the latest album
from the Canadian duo Majid Jordan
A Place Like This.

Honorable Mention:
Cilvia Demo- Isaiah Rashad
Best in the World-John Connor
Causers of This-Toro y Moi